Water sled



March l, 1966 R. .FROST 3,237,222

WATER SLED Filed March 5, 1964 F IG.

INVENTOR Ray F mst United States Patent 3,237,222 WATER SLED Ray Frost, 3307 New Pond Road, Anderson, S.C. Filed Mar. 3, 1964, ser. No. 349,066 Claims. (Cl. 9-310) This invention relates to watercraft, and more particularly to a vehicle in the form of a water sled in the craft when it is taken as an aquatic sport.

Watercraft have been produced throughout the ages in many different forms under such broad types of classifications as ships and boats, and under subclassiications delining the motive power as steam, internal combustion engine, sail, manually operated devices, and last but far from least, power in the form of a towrope connected to another boat or the like. Small craft being pulled along by a towrope are usually used in aquatic sports.

The word sled is dened in dictionaries as a vehicle that moves by sliding; therefore, a water sled is a vehicle that moves by sliding on the water.

The nearest approach to a water sled is the water-ski, and this form of vehicle, or more correctly, water support, is of course only good for the pleasure of one person who stands upright while being towed behind a boat.

It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide a watercraft in the form of a water sled on which more than one person can ride in any desired position such as standing, sitting, or reclining thereon.

Another object of this invention is to provide a water sled that is specially designed to slide over the water even when being towed by a boat making a sharp turn.

Another object of this invention is to provide a water sled that will permit its occupants to slide out the stern in the event the craft becomes unmanageable or it is otherwise desirable for one to leave the same in other than the usual manner,

Another object of this invention is to provide a water sled that is light enough to be carried from place to place by one person.

Another object of this invention is to provide a water sled that can be manufactured from lightweight non-corrosive rnetal, plastic, or wood, or any desired combination of these materials, or in fact any other material suitable for the purpose.

Another object of this invention is to provide a water sled that does not contain any sharp obstructions on which a person may be injured, should he come into unexpected and sudden contact with the same.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a water sled that can be manufactured in any desired size and color.

Other and further objects of this invention will become subsequently apparent as the description proceeds when read in connection with examination of the appended drawing in which:

FIGURE l is a pictorial view of this invention showing a girl riding on the same. The girl is shown in phantom lines.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of this invention taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE l and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of this invention taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of this invention taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 2 and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated a water sled 5 comprising a liat bottom 6 that is rectangular when viewed from the top, and which has its forward end curved upward to form the bow 7 that ICC has an upward slope at an angle of approximately 221/2 degrees as measured from the horizontal. Each side 8 of the water sled slopes outward at an angle of approximately 45 degrees, as one can see on examination of FIGURES 3 and 4 of the appended drawing, where one will also see that the outside of the gunwale of each side is provided with a molding 9 that is rounded when viewed in cross section as in the aforesaid FIGURES 3 and 4. The rear portion of each side of the water sled 5 tapers downward from its gunwale to the aforesaid flat bottom 6, thereby providing the sled with an open stern 10 in order that whoever may be riding the water sled may slip off the back end if it is so desired for any reason.

The just described water sled 5 is provided with a pair of spaced ropes 11 that have one end projecting through an opening in the reinforcing member 12 that is secured to the upper surface of the flat bottom 6 as well as through a like opening in the bottom itself where a knot 13 is tied on the underside thereof, in order to prevent ones pulling the rope off the water sled. The upper end of each rope 11 is firmly secured to one end of a normally horizontal handbar 14. The securement of one end of the towrope 15 (shown only in FIGURES 2 and 3) completes this novel water sled, which is now ready for use.

It is now clear that this novel water sled is towed by any desired boat by the aforesaid towrope 15 and that a person or persons may ride the sled in any desired posture such as sitting up, a position that is illustrated in the aforesaid FIGURE l of the appended drawing. Other positions for ones riding this novel water sled are standing, reclining on ones stomach, and kneeling. It will be noted in FIGURE 2 of the drawing that the aforesaid reinforcing member 12 is provided with an angularly disposed rear edge 16, against which one may rest his heels when riding the sled in a sitting position.

Actual experience has shown that this water sled may be towed with a motor boat (inboard or outboard) having as little as live horsepower. The fact that this water sled is provided with an upturned bow 7 and upwardly and outwardly sloping sides 8 makes it possible for the craft to efficiently ride on the water when being towed rather than dig down into the water, thus throwing off its occupants no matter what maneuvers the boat towing the sled may make. When the sled is being pulled around in a sharp turn it will naturally lean over and ride on its sides 8, the degree of its bank of course depending upon both the sharpness of its turn and its speed. The already described molding 9 that runs along each outer side of the gunwale of the water sled will, as any one having any knowledge of water craft will know, cause the water to flare out from the sides of the sled and away from its rather than fall into the sled, thereby keeping its occupant or occupants dry, even though they will no doubt be wearing bathing suits.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the water sled will be readily understood and further explantion is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A water sled of the character described, comprising a liat bottom that is rectangular when viewed from the top, the said iiat bottom having an upturned bow and upwardly and outwardly sloping sides, the said water sled being provided with both a towrope and structure to which one may hold while riding in the said water sled when it is being towed behind a boat by the said towrope, the towrope and structure to which one may hold, secured to the sled at the juncture of the at bottom and upturned bow.

2. A water sled of the character described, comprising a at bottom that is rectangular when viewed from the top, the said flat bottom having an upturned bow and upwardly and outwardly sloping sides, along each gunwale of which is provided with a molding extending the full length thereof, and which is half-round in cross section, the said molding being located on the outer side of each gunwale, thereby throwing the water away from the said water sled when it is in motion, and the said water sled being provided with both a towrope and structure to' which one may hold while riding in the said water sled when it is being towed behind a boat by the said towrope, the towrope and structure to which one may hold, secured to the sled at the juncture of the flat bottom and upturned bow.

3. A water sled of the character described, comprising a flat bottom that is rectangular when viewed from the top, the said flat bottom having an upturned bow and upwardly and outwardly sloping sides, along each gunwale of which is provided with a molding extending the full length thereof, and which is half-round in cross section, the said molding being located on the outer side of each gunwale, thereby throwing the water away from the said water sled when it is in motion, and the said water sled being provided with both a towrope and a pair of spaced ropes both of which are secured to a hand-bar to which one may hold while riding in the said water sled when it is being towed behind a boat by the said towrope, the towrope and spaced ropes secured to the sled at the juncture of the flat bottom and upturned bow.

4. A water sled of the character described, comprising a flat bottom that is rectangular when viewed from the top, the said flat bottom having an upturned bow and upwardly and outwardly sloping sides, along each gunwale of which is provided with a molding extending the full length thereof, and which is half-round in cross section, the said molding being located on the outer side of each gunwale, thereby throwing the water away from the said water sled when it is in motion, and an open stern, and the 4 said water sled being provided with both a towrope and a pair of spaced ropes both of which are secured to a handbar to which one may hold while riding in the said water sled when it is being towed'behind a boat by the said towrope, the towrope and spaced ropes secured to the sled at the juncture of the flat bottom and upturned bow,

5. A water sled of the character described, comprising a flat bottom that is rectangular when viewed from the top, the said at bottom having an upturned bow and upwardly and outwardly sloping sides, along each gunwale of which is provided with a molding extending the full length thereof, and which is half-round in cross section, the said molding being located on the outer side of each gunwale, thereby throwing the water away from the said water sled when it is in motion, a reinforcing member extending along the inside of the juncture of the at bottom and upturned bow and secured to said flat bottom and upturned bow, and an open stern, and the said water sled being provided with both a towrope and a pair of spaced ropes that have their lower ends passing down through both said reinforcing member and the said bottom of the said water sled and terminating in a knot, the said reinforcing member extending from side to side of said boat, the said reinforcing member having an angularly disposed rear edge, against which one may rest his heels when riding in the said water sled, and a hand bar secured to the upper end of both of the said ropes to which one may hold while riding in the said water sled when it is being towed behind a boat by the said towrope.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,826,423 3/1958 Erickson 9-3l0 X 3,034,800 15/1962 Campbell 280-18 3,050,751 8/1962 Moon 9--310 3,140,878 7/1964 Davis 280-18 FOREIGN PATENTS 80,599 6/ 1934 Sweden.

0 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Examiners.

A. E. CORRIGAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A WATER SLED OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, COMPRISING A FLAT BOTTOM THAT IS RECTANGULAR WHEN VIEWED FROM THE TOP, THE SAID FLAT BOTTOM HAVING AN UPTURNED BOW AND UPWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY SLOPING SIDES, THE SAID WATER SLED BEING PROVIDED WITH BOTH A TOWROPE AND STRUCTURE TO WHICH ONE MAY HOLD WHILE RIDING IN THE SAID WATER SLED WHEN IT IS BEING TOWED BEHIND A BOAT BY THE SAID TOWROPE, THE TOWROPE 